$78,000

BASIC SPEC

2018 BMW M240i quick spin review

Tradition holds that if you start with a small car, combine it with a big engine and season the dish with appropriately sporty suspension, tyres and brakes, the result is usually quite tasty.

Based on BMW’s 2-Series baby coupe, the M240i features all of the above in a package designed to bridge the gap between regular models and the scintillating M2 range-topper.

How much does it cost and what do you get?

Priced from $76,800 plus on-road costs, the M240i costs around $24,000 more than a basic 2-Series coupe, though you do get plenty of hardware for the money.

The main attraction lives under the bonnet – a turbocharged 3.0-litre motor representing one of the truly great motors on sale today. Other tasty bits from BMW’s “M” catalogue include larger brakes, 18-inch wheels wrapped in tenacious Michelin Pilot Super Sport rubber, adaptive sports suspension and a subtle body kit.

Luxury touches include an 8.8-inch touch screen loaded with clever features including DAB+ digital radio, along with climate control, a reversing camera, front and rear parking sensors, a 12-speaker Harman Kardon stereo, powerful LED headlights and leather-trimmed heated seats.

Optional extras include metallic paint ($1547), a sunroof ($2600), active cruise control ($1100) and a $1340 service package that covers basic maintenance for the first five years or 80,000 kilometres of ownership.

What’s under the bonnet?

An engine for the ages - BMW’s award-winning 3.0-litre inline six-cylinder turbo unit. Smooth, sonorous and effortless, the M240i’s motor pulls effortlessly from low revs through to the top of the tacho, blending turbocharged punch with a creamy exhaust note piped through twin exhausts.

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Peak outputs of 250kW and 500Nm result in a 0-100km/h dash completed in 4.6 seconds, along with claimed fuel use of 7.1L/100km.

The motor is mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission that’s smoother and easier to live with than the seven-speed dual-clutch unit found in the more focused (and expensive) M2 Coupe, though it isn’t quite as sharp when pressing on.

Most cars use four-cylinder engines these days, and while many – including BMW’s own units – are perfectly competent, they lack the character of the singing, burbling and utterly compelling engine.

If you’re shopping for a new car today, there’s a decent chance the model after it could be hybrid or battery powered. If this is going to be the last purely petrol-powered car you buy, you might as well go out on a high.

What’s it like to drive?

That engine really does dominate the driving experience, particularly when pressing on. The M240i’s rear-drive layout and lack of a limited-slip differential can send the tail end wayward as it struggles for traction if you get too greedy with the throttle. Keep it smooth and you’ll be rewarded by balance that front-drive rivals like Audi’s TT can’t match – crisp and responsive steering from the front end and prodigious power to the rear will keep keen drivers coming back for more.

Swift and effortless around town, the M240i exhibits more road noise than you might expect, and it can feel a little too coarse on broken surfaces.

While perfectly suited to a brisk road drive, the M240i’s comparatively soft suspension and road-biased brakes are less than ideal for track work where the M2 shines.

What’s it like inside?

Comfortable sports seats and a chubby steering wheel are key elements of an excellent driving position with plenty of adjustment. Finished in red leather with black plastics and shiny aluminium highlights, our test example looked smart while offering outstanding connectivity through BMW’s latest iDrive 6 touchscreen, which includes the option of wireless Apple CarPlay functions.

The M240i features active safety tech such as lane departure warning, pedestrian warning and light city braking functions as standard, joining a full suite of airbags and stability control to keep you out of harm’s way.

Would I buy it?

While I can happily recommend the M240i, the car I really want to keep hold of is BMW’s M2. It’s a sharper, faster and altogether better-sorted proposition that also looks utterly sensational. If you love driving (and can afford the extra spend), the M2 is the way to go.

What else should I consider?

The M2 costs an extra $16,500 in M2 Pure manual form or $23,100 more if you want a dual-clutch transmission. Alternatively, you can have the M240i’s fabulous engine in a five-door hatchback body by choosing the $59,990 M140i hatch – either of those will do nicely.

Audi’s TT is much more stylish both inside and out, though underpinnings shared with the VW Golf result in a less engaging drive. The same brand’s S3 sedan is also worth a lock, or you could wait and see what sort of sporty models Mercedes-Benz has in mind for its freshly unveiled A-Class hatch.